It's a TV in a tablet and RCA is taking it to CES

Shows on the go

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What's that thing sticking out on top?

RCA has made something for those mobile couch potatoes – a tablet for watching television on the go.

The RCA DMT580D was unveiled Friday, and though it doesn't have a slick name it does do some pretty cool tricks. The device has a dual TV tuner that picks up DTV signals and is compatible with mobile TV provider Dyle.

The tablet has a top mounted telescoping antenna to get those standard over-the-air digital TV broadcasts. Unfortunately, it seems users will have to be stationary to receive those DTV signals, so no watching regular TV while the car's moving.

But users will be able switch over to Dyle TV while they're in motion. And with 130 mobile TV channels offered by Dyle, viewers shouldn't get too bored.

Dyle is free to anyone with the hardware to access it, but the service is only available in about 35 markets at the moment.

It's a tablet too

The new RCA device isn't just a boob tube on the move; it's an Android tablet as well.

First off is the all-important screen. It's an 8-inch HD IPS touchscreen with a 1024 x 768 resolution. The TV tablet also has a Cortex 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal flash memory.

There are front and rear cameras on the tablet for catching reaction shots to horror movies. But RCA didn't spill the beans on camera specifics.

The device is Wi-Fi capable with a host of USB and SD ports, as well as HDMI connectivity.

As for battery life, TV mode is quite the energy hog. The device only lasts through four hours of unadulterated television. Pure web surfing will extend the tablet's life to about 10 hours.

TV to go

The whole package weighs in at 1.4 pounds and will cost around $299. At that hefty price, the TV tablet is reserved for those who really want to catch their SNL while they'are still at the club.

There are those diehard TV fans, so RCA's new TV tablet might be a real hit in some circles. But there are plenty of cheaper tablets that offer better specs, so RCA's new device might have trouble competing with other tablets.

RCA is still being coy with some facts, like exactly when the new tablet will launch. It's most specific launch window for the product is this spring, and will only be available in the U.S.

The TV tablet will make an appearance during next week's CES 2013. Hopefully, a few more details will shake loose during the show.